How to Start a Lawn Mowing Business

March 6th, 2010 admin

If you are the type of entrepreneur who loves the out doors, the warm summer sun and meeting people, a lawn mowing business may be for you. If you don’t mind breaking a sweat, putting in a hard day’s work (literally), and lifting heavy machinery, this is probably the business for you. A great advantage of this line of business is the low financial requirements to start a lawn mower business. It takes dedication and the readiness to work hard. If you have those things, you’ve already started.

Carry out some market research in order to establish the viability of starting a lawn mower business in a particular area. Prepare a short questionnaire asking people about their lawn mowing needs and what can be done to meet those needs. This will provide you with the critical areas to focus on as you plan your lawn mower business.

Visit other lawn mower businesses in your area (if any) or in neighboring towns. Inquire about the services offered and rates. This will give you ideas as well as a frame of reference for establishing your own lawn mowing business. Determine what you can do to compete with them. Offering more services for a lower price is a great idea as long as it doesn’t mean you will be under-payed. Value your time if you expect others to value it.

Write down the goals you have for your business. Include financial objectives and goals for future growth.

Determine the particular neighborhoods and cities that your business is best suited to serve. Choose ones that will likely be most profitable for you. Do not limit yourself to your own neighborhood.

Plan the day-to-day operations of your business. Project how much business you will be able to drum up. That will allow you to determine whether you need to hire help.

Think through the financial requirements for launching and running your business. Detail how much capital you need and the source of that funding. Also list the equipment you have or need for the business. Determine the rate that you will need to charge to meet your financial requirements while turning a profit.

Develop a marketing strategy. Determine the methods you can use to advertise and market your business to get clients. A few methods include going door to door, printing out postcards and advertising it in your local newspapers.

Acquire the necessary equipment and materials that you need for your lawn mower business. Ensure that you have a reliable mode of transportation to get you and your equipment from one client’s home or office to the next.

Implement your marketing strategy. Begin to provide lawn mower service to your clients as you get them.

Tips & Warnings

Plan for alternatives for your lawn mower business after summer and early fall. Include services like raking leaves and snow blowing. Let all your clients know that you have suitable services to take care of their outdoor needs year-round.

Don’t make promises that you can’t keep. If you get over-booked, tell someone you have to go in the next day or the following week. If you over-commit, you’ll lose customers because you’ll be forced to break promises.